Telephone call initiation through an on-line search

ABSTRACT

There are disclosed methods and apparatus for telephone call initiation through an on-line search. A search response includes at least one hit corresponding to a search request, an ad having a dial link, and instructions for triggering a multi-leg phone call with a merchant phone number associated with the dial link and a user phone number. The dial link has a display portion. The search response is displayed, and the dial link is activated. A call trigger is generated in accordance with the instructions in the search response. The call trigger is for initiating a multi-leg phone call with the user phone number and the merchant phone number.

RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION

[0001] This patent is a continuation-in part of Application No.60/471,535 filed May 19, 2003 entitled “HyperDial,” which isincorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This patent is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.10/614,394 filed Jul. 3, 2003 entitled “Displaying Telephone Numbers asActive Objects,” which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] This patent is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.10/691,982 filed Oct. 22, 2003 entitled “Application IndependentTelephone Call Initiation,” which is incorporated herein by reference.

NOTICE OF COPYRIGHTS AND TRADE DRESS

[0004] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document containsmaterial which is subject to copyright protection. This patent documentmay show and/or describe matter which is or may become trade dress ofthe owner. The copyright and trade dress owner has no objection to thefacsimile reproduction by any one of the patent disclosure as it appearsin the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, butotherwise reserves all copyright and trade dress rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] 1. Field of the Invention

[0006] The present invention relates to initiation of telephone calls.

[0007] 2. Description of Related Art

[0008] Efforts have been made in integrating the Web with telephonyapplications. One such popular application is the placing of telephonecalls from PC to a regular telephone. A user can place a call to aregular telephone from the Web using Dialpad (Dialpad Communications,Inc.) or Net2Phone (Net2Phone, Inc.). In these applications, a user mustmanually enter a telephone number each time he wishes to initiate acall, or pick a telephone number from a structured list stored by andonly available from the dialing application. In view of the success ofsuch products and services, one could conclude that the users weresatisfied and there has been no motivation to seek other solutions.

[0009] Some companies, in conjunction with their sales andcustomer-support efforts, have added a “call me” or “call-back” functionto their web sites. With these functions, a user who browses to thecompany's web site may then manually enter his own telephone number andother information into a web page. The company's computers then initiatethe call back to the user. This configuration is considered a“single-leg” phone call, because the call is initiated from one phonenumber to another phone number.

[0010] In contrast to single-leg phone calls, it is known to createmulti-leg phone calls. One common form of multi-leg phone call is theoperator assisted conference call. Multi-leg phone calls are alsoinitiated in international call-back, in which a customer makes anincomplete call to a switch, and the switch then calls the customer backand connects the customer to a second phone number. As demonstrated bythese two examples, multi-leg phone calls have been used primarily forcomplex calling arrangements having three or more parties, or where itis desirable to arbitrage calling costs or other factors between twoparties.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an environment.

[0012]FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method of telephone call initiation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Throughout this description, the embodiments and examples shownshould be considered as exemplars, rather than limitations on theapparatus and methods of the present invention.

[0014] Description of Systems

[0015] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram of anenvironment 100 for telephone call initiation through an on-line search.The environment 100 includes a client computer 110, a user telephone115, a data network 120, a search system 130, a gateway 140, a switch150, a public switched network (PSN) 160, plural telephones 170, amerchant system 180 and a merchant telephone 185.

[0016] The client computer 110 may comprise a general purpose computer.The client computer 110 may be, for example, a PC running a MicrosoftWindows operating system. The client computer 110 may include an outputdevice, such as a display 111, and an input device, such as a keyboard112 and/or a pointing device 113 (e.g., mouse, track ball, light pen, ordata glove). The client computer 110 may be a computing device such as aworkstation, server, portable computer, personal digital assistant(PDA), computing tablet, two-way messaging devices (e.g., Blackberry™),smart display terminal, and the like. The client computer 110 connectswith and communicates on the data network 120 and includes an interfacetherefore. The client computer 110 may comprise an assembly of devices,such as a television and a set-top box which interfaces to the datanetwork 120.

[0017] The client computer 110, the search system 130, the gateway 140,the switch 150 and the merchant system 180 may include software and/orhardware for providing the functionality and features described hereinand of the invention. The client computer 110, the search system 130,the gateway 140, the switch 150 and the merchant system 180 maytherefore include one or more of: logic arrays, memories, analogcircuits, digital circuits, software, firmware, and processors such asmicroprocessors, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), applicationspecific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs)and programmable logic arrays (PLAs). The hardware and firmwarecomponents of the client computer 110, the search system 130 and themerchant system 180 may include various specialized units, circuits,software and interfaces for providing the functionality and features ofthe invention. The invention may be embodied in whole or in part insoftware which operates on the client computer 110, the search system130, the gateway 140, the switch 150 and/or the merchant system 180, andmay be in the form of application programs, applets (e.g., a Javaapplet), browser plug-ins, COM objects, dynamic linked libraries (DLL),script (e.g., JavaScript, Visual Basic), subroutines, operating systemcomponents or services, or terminate and stay resident programs (TSR).The hardware and software of the invention and its functions may bedistributed such that some components are performed by the clientcomputer 110, the search system 130, the merchant system 180, thegateway 140, the switch 150 and others by other devices.

[0018] The data network 120 provides lower layer network support fordata communications between the client computer 110, the search system130, the gateway 140 and the merchant system 180. The data network 120may be packet-switched and may comprise a common or privatebi-directional data network, and may be, for example the Internet orutilize the IP protocol.

[0019] The search system 130 may be a web server having the ability torespond to search requests from client computers such as the clientcomputer 110. The search system 130 may be or include a search engine(e.g., Google), and may be a search aggregator (e.g., DogPile). Thesearch system 130 may consolidate proprietary search content, othercontent and aggregated search and other content (e.g., Yahoo), and mayprovide some or all of its content to others (e.g., InfoSeek, Overture).The search system 130 may be or include a number of separate devices,including servers. The search system 130 may include an interface whichallows merchants and others to reserve or purchase ads, such aspaid-placement search listings, paid-placement ads and banner ads. Thesearch system 130 may obtain ads through third parties, such as throughaggregation and/or sub-contracting.

[0020] The PSN 160 is a common carrier network which provides circuitswitching and/or IP telephony between public users. The PSN 160 may bethe public switched telephone network (PSTN). The PSN 160 may operateaccording to standards such as SS6, SS7 and SIP.

[0021] The telephones 115, 170, 185 may be ordinary analog telephonesconnected to the PSN. The telephones 115, 170, 185 may be digitaldevices (e.g., SIP devices or telephone sets connected through a PBX)for providing voice communications. The telephones 115, 170, 185 mayalso be wireless voice communications devices such as cell phones. Theuser telephone 115 may be located proximate the client computer 110, orin a location under common control of the user of the client computer110. The merchant telephone 185 may be located proximate the merchantsystem 185, or in a location under common control of the merchant. Thetelephones 115, 170, 185 have respective phone numbers. The phonenumbers may conform to the standard United States format, (NPA) NPXnnnn, or make take other forms.

[0022] The switch 150 may be a voice switch, circuit switch and/or an IPswitch and may be compliant with standards such as SS6, SS7 or SIP. Theswitch 150 is compatible with the PSN 160, and has the ability to set upand tear down telephone connections in the PSN 160.

[0023] The gateway 140 interfaces between the packet-switched datanetwork 120 and the switch 150. The gateway 140 may be a signalinggateway platform (SGP), which is an intelligent service exchange nodethat integrates services between circuit-switched and packet-switchednetworks. The gateway 140 may be integrated into the PSN 160 or theswitch 150.

[0024] The merchant system 180 may be a general purpose computer similarto the client computer 110, or may be a computer system including, forexample a web server for the merchant's web site. The merchant system180 may be used by the merchant to interact with other systems throughthe data network 120. For example, the merchant system 180 may be usedto arrange for paid-placement search listings and paid-placement adsthrough the search system 130.

[0025] Description of Methods

[0026] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a flow chart of a methodof telephone call initiation through an on-line search. The method mayinclude one or more of the following phases: a set-up phase, a searchphase, a dial-through phase and a billing phase. Although these phasesare described as separate, they may overlap in time. Furthermore, theremay be many merchants, many users and many search systems performingvarious steps of the phases, and their performance may be varied in timeand order. The following description is simplified to one user, onemerchant and one search system.

[0027] Set-Up Phase 205

[0028] In the set-up phase 205, the merchant arranges for ads to beplaced with the search system 130. Thus, one step is for the searchsystem 130 to receive ad purchase data from the merchant (step 210). Themerchant may make an ad purchase using the merchant system 180connecting to the search system 130. Through the ad purchase, themerchant defines or provides the ad purchase data. The ad purchase datamay include display conditions for the ad, ad content, information forretrieving ad content (e.g., a URL for a banner ad), a merchant on-lineaddress and the merchant phone number. The display conditions mayinclude key words, strings, concepts, URLs, portions of URLs, and otherthings which a merchant might want to use to trigger display of the ad.The merchant on-line address may be a URL for the merchant's web site.The ad purchase data may also include dates for starting and stoppingdisplays of the ad, a fixed or variable price (e.g., bid price) for thead, ad copy, and one or more URLs for retrieving the ads and adcomponents.

[0029] The search system 130 may store the ad purchase data in adatabase (step 215). A merchant identifier may be associated with the adpurchase data. The merchant identifier may be a data key for uniquelyidentifying the merchant, and may include or be the merchant phonenumber.

[0030] The set-up phase 205 may be performed many times by the merchant,its steps may be integrated, and may allow the merchant to make multiplead purchases in a single session. Furthermore, the search system 130 mayallow the merchant to modify the ad purchase data, for example toimprove performance of the merchant's ads.

[0031] Search Phase 220

[0032] In the search phase 220, the user obtains search results from thesearch system 130.

[0033] In one embodiment, the search is browser-based. Thus, the useractivates a browser on the client computer 110, points the browser tothe search system 130, and the browser receives a search request pagefrom the server system 130. The user enters a search request into thesearch request page (step 225), and the browser/client computer 110transmits the search request to the search system 130 (step 230).

[0034] In other embodiments, the search is not browser-based. Forexample, the search request may come from a user through other means, orfrom an automated system. Thus, a person or system requesting a searchwill be referred to herein as a search requester. Also, displayablematter from the search system 130 and displayed by the client computer110 can take forms other than pages.

[0035] The search system 130 then obtains a search result in response tothe search request (step 235). The search result may be obtained bysearching a key word database, from other types of databases, throughaggregation, or through algorithmic retrieval of distributed data andinformation.

[0036] The search result may include one or more hits. As used herein a“hit” is a successful retrieval of a record matching the search request.A record may be a database record or a discrete collection of relatedbut different data. The search system 130 then prepares a searchresponse including one or more of the hits and the ad display data (step245). The search response may be a web page.

[0037] At some point, the display conditions for the merchant's ad aretriggered, for example based upon key words in the search request (step240). In that case, the search response also includes display data forthe ad. The ad display data may include instructions for retrieving ormay directly include all or a subset of the ad purchase data, such asthe URL for the ad, ad content, links for the ad, and accountinginstructions and information. The ad display data may include a diallink, or instructions for retrieving a dial link for the ad. The diallink has a code from which the merchant phone number may be obtained(e.g., all or a portion of the merchant phone number, or the merchantidentifier), and instructions for triggering calls to the merchant phonenumber and a user phone number. The dial link may include a displayportion.

[0038] The search system then transmits the search response to thesearch requester (step 250).

[0039] The search requester receives and displays the search response(step 255). The display of the search response may be presented as anordered list, with the ad placed in various positions with respect tothe list. Depending on the type and format of the ad, for example, thead may appear within the list, at the top of the list, above the list,to the side of the list, in a pop-up window, in a banner, or in separatededicated window. The display of the ad may include the display portionof the dial link, to indicate to the user the availability of atelephone connection to the merchant. The display portion may beintegrated with the ad display, and may be distinct from the ad display.The display portion of the dial link may be the merchant telephonenumber, or may be a notice to the user (e.g., “click here to call themerchant”), or may be otherwise.

[0040] Dial-Through Phase 260

[0041] In the dial-through phase 260, the user responds to the ad byhaving the merchant call him. Initially, this involves the useractivating the dial link (step 265). The user may activate the dial linkby using the pointing device 113 to click on the display portion of thedial link.

[0042] When the dial link is activated, instructions in the dial linkmay obtain a phone number which the user wishes to have the merchantcall—“a user phone number” (step 270). The instructions may be a CGIstring or utilize an exposed API. The dial link may include or refer toJavaScript or other program code for obtaining the user phone number.

[0043] According to the instructions in the dial link, the clientcomputer 110 may ask the user to enter a phone number. A pop-up windowor dialog may be displayed for the user to enter the user phone number.If the user has previously entered a phone number, this previouslyentered phone number may be used automatically. Alternatively, the usermay be asked to select from one or more previously entered phonenumbers, and/or given an option to enter a new phone number. The clientcomputer 110 may suggest a phone number to the user or automaticallyselect a phone number, for example through a database lookup. Forexample, through SIP, the user phone number (i.e., IP address) may beobtained automatically. The user phone number(s) may be stored on theclient computer 110 (for example, in a cookie) or remotely. There may bea user identifier stored locally or remotely and used for a databaselookup. The user may select any telephone number he wishes, such as thetelephone 175, a remote telephone or otherwise.

[0044] The client computer 110 then generates a call trigger inaccordance with the instructions in the dial link (step 275). The calltrigger may be an IP-based message. The call trigger includes sufficientinformation so that a multi-leg call to the merchant phone number andthe user phone number may be initiated. This information may be themerchant phone number and the user phone number. Alternatively, databasekeys such as the merchant identifier and a user identifier may be usedfor retrieving one or both of the merchant phone number and the userphone number.

[0045] The call trigger is transmitted directly or indirectly to thegateway 140 (step 280), which then instructs the switch 150 to form amulti-leg call to the merchant phone number and the user phone number(step 285). Thus, the user receives a phone call at the user phonenumber, and the phone call is connected to the merchant phone number.The gateway 140 and/or the switch 150 may have call handlingintelligence (e.g., IVR, ACD, CTI) so that, for example, the call to themerchant phone number is set up before the call to the user phonenumber.

[0046] In an embodiment where the call trigger is sent indirectly to thegateway 140, a dedicated TCP connection may be opened to authenticatethe call trigger. The TCP connection may be kept open during the entireperiod of the call before it is disconnected. Asynchronous call statusmessages may be processed as they arrive.

[0047] Call status information from the switch 150 may be transmitted tothe client computer 110, the search system 130, the merchant system 180and/or others. The call status information may be, for example,“connected,” “dropped,” “busy” and “closed.” The switch 150 may send thecall status information directly or indirectly.

[0048] When the user activates the dial link (step 265), other activitymay be triggered as well. For example, using a URL in the ad data, apage on the merchant's web site may be opened. It may be especiallybeneficial for the user to browse the merchant's web site in conjunctionwith the multi-leg phone call, so that a merchant representative mayspeak with the user concurrently with the user's interaction with themerchant's web site. For example, the merchant representative may makesuggestions and/or provide help and explanations, thus encouraging theuser to purchase additional products or engage in other additionalbusiness with the merchant.

[0049] In addition to the user and the merchant, others may be includedoriginally or later added to the multi-leg phone call. The user, themerchant or another party or system may initiate adding additional legsand/or removing existing legs.

[0050] The multi-leg phone call may include one or more audio messages.The audio messages may be or include human speech, music, tones andtrademark sounds. The audio messages may be played at the beginning ofthe multi-leg phone call, during intermissions, and at the end. Theaudio messages may be advertisements, for example to offset or cover thecost of or generate profits from the multi-leg phone call. The audiomessages may be selected based upon many different criteria. Forexample, the audio messages may be selected or provided by the merchant.The audio messages may be selected at various granularities, e.g., fromnational to local, from everyone to individuals of selecteddemographics. Information for selecting audio messages, such as keys todatabase records, may be included in the dial link and/or the calltrigger. The audio messages may be selected by other parties involved inthe set-up phase 205, the search phase 220, the dial-through phase 260and/or the billing phase.

[0051] Billing Phase

[0052] In the billing phase, the merchant is billed for the user'sactivation of the dial link. Billing may be accomplished in manydifferent ways. The dial link may include an instruction for sending amessage to a billing system to charge the merchant for activation of thedial link. The dial link may include the merchant identifier for use inbilling. The merchant may be billed by the search system 130 when themerchant's ad is served to the user, i.e., for including the dial linkin the search response. The gateway 140 may initiate billing to themerchant. The merchant may be charged on a fixed fee basis or on avariable basis. The variables may include call length, time of day, dayof week, location of the user phone number, location of the merchantphone number, and otherwise.

[0053] Alternatively, the user or a third party may be billed for theactivation of the dial link and/or for connecting the merchant and theuser in a phone call.

[0054] Because the merchant ad may be solicited indirectly and throughmultiple layers of different parties, source identifiers may be used inthe dial link and/or obtained when the dial link is activated so that anentity which solicited the ad may receive credit (e.g., payment).

[0055] Captured metric deliver a rate of activity associated with anInternet advertisment. These metrics can dictate for example, thesuccess of an advertisement or advertising campaign. These metrics candeliver a rate of activity associated with an advertisement. Metricsrelated to call activity generated from a given dial link or links maybe obtained. For example, a dial-through rate may be calculated as therevenues divided by the number of multi-leg phone calls. The revenuesmay be based upon many factors, such as flat pricing per call, secondaryrevenue and bid pricing.

[0056] At various times, calling information associated with a dial linkmay be accumulated. In response to a request for a report, a report maybe formulated based on the accumulated calling information for the diallink. The report may be formatted for electronic transmission. Theformatted report may be electronically transmitted to an entityassociated with the advertising campaign.

[0057] Server-Side Embedding of Dial Links

[0058] In addition to the search responses described above, dial linksmay be included in active displays. For example, a merchant web site onthe merchant system 180 may include dial links. The dial links may bemanually embedded, or may be automatically identified and created asdescribed in the previously mentioned application Ser. No. 10/614,394(“Displaying Telephone Numbers as Active Objects”). Although applicationSer. No. 10/614,394 generally describes client-side operations, thefunctionality of identifying phone numbers and rendering the activatablemay be performed on the server-side. In such a case, the server wouldembed dial links as described herein for initiation of multi-leg phonecalls, and would obtain the user phone number as described therein orherein.

[0059] The search system 130 and/or the merchant system 180 may beconfigured and operate in accordance with aspects of the systems andmethod described in the previously mentioned application Ser. No.10/691,982 (“Application Independent Telephone Call Initiation”). Forexample, the methods described in paragraphs 57-66 may be used by themerchant server 180 in the merchant web site, with the user phone numberbeing obtained as described therein or herein. Furthermore, the clientcomputer 110 and other systems may operate in accordance with the someor all of the description in paragraphs 24-35 and 42-56.

[0060] Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have beenshown and described, it will be apparent to those having ordinary skillin the art that a number of changes, modifications, or alterations tothe invention as described herein may be made, none of which depart fromthe spirit of the present invention. All such changes, modifications andalterations should therefore be seen as within the scope of the presentinvention.

It is claimed:
 1. A method of telephone call initiation through anon-line search, the method comprising entering a search request into asearch request display transmitting the search request receiving asearch response responsive to the search request, the search responseincluding at least one hit corresponding to the search request an adhaving a dial link, the dial link having a display portion forindicating availability of initiation of a phone call with a merchantassociated with the dial link instructions for triggering a multi-legphone call with a merchant phone number associated with the dial linkand a user phone number displaying the search response including thedisplay portion of the dial link recognizing activation of the dial linkgenerating a call trigger in accordance with the instructions in thesearch response, the call trigger for initiating a multi-leg phone callwith the user phone number and the merchant phone number.
 2. The methodof telephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 1further comprising displaying a merchant page.
 3. The method oftelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 1 whereinthe dial link includes a merchant identifier.
 4. The method of telephonecall initiation through an on-line search of claim 3 wherein themerchant identifier comprises a database key for retrieving a merchantphone number.
 5. The method of telephone call initiation through anon-line search of claim 1 wherein the dial link includes a merchantphone number.
 6. The method of telephone call initiation through anon-line search of claim 1, generating the call trigger furthercomprising sending a message to a billing system to charge the merchantfor the user activating the dial link.
 7. The method of telephone callinitiation through an on-line search of claim 1 further comprisingactivating a browser pointing the browser to a search system the browserreceiving the search request display.
 8. The method of telephone callinitiation through an on-line search of claim 1 wherein the searchresponse is a web page.
 9. The method of telephone call initiationthrough an on-line search of claim 1 further comprising receiving a userphone number entered or selected from one or more previously enteredphone numbers.
 10. The method of telephone call initiation through anon-line search of claim 1, wherein activating the dial link comprises apointing device clicking on the dial link.
 11. A method of telephonecall initiation through an on-line search, the method comprisingreceiving ad purchase data, the ad purchase data including an ad displaycondition, ad content information, a merchant on-line address and amerchant phone number receiving a search request from a search requesterobtaining a search result in response to the search request preparing asearch response including one or more displayable hits a displayable adbased upon the ad content information, the ad further having a diallink, the dial link having a display portion for indicating availabilityof initiation of a phone call with a merchant associated with the diallink instructions for triggering a multi-leg phone call with themerchant phone number and a user phone number transmitting the searchresponse to the search requester.
 12. The method of telephone callinitiation through an on-line search of claim 11, wherein the ad displaycondition includes at least one of key words, strings, concepts, URLs,portions of URLs.
 13. The method of telephone call initiation through anon-line search of claim 11 wherein the search requester comprises a userat a client computer.
 14. The method of telephone call initiationthrough an on-line search of claim 11 wherein the triggeringinstructions are included in the dial link.
 15. The method of telephonecall initiation through an on-line search of claim 14 wherein thetriggering instructions include instructions for displaying a page atthe merchant on-line address.
 16. The method of telephone callinitiation through an on-line search of claim 11 wherein the searchresponse is a web page.
 17. The method of telephone call initiationthrough an on-line search of claim 11 wherein the dial link includes amerchant identifier.
 18. The method of telephone call initiation throughan on-line search of claim 17 wherein the merchant identifier comprisesthe merchant phone number.
 19. The method of telephone call initiationthrough an on-line search of claim 17 wherein the merchant identifier isassociated with the merchant phone number.
 20. The method of telephonecall initiation through an on-line search of claim 11 further comprisingsending a message to a billing system for charging for triggering themulti-leg phone call.
 21. Apparatus for telephone call initiationthrough an on-line search comprising a user input device a displaydevice a processor a memory wherein the processor and the memorycomprise circuits and software for entering a search request into asearch request display transmitting the search request receiving asearch response responsive to the search request, the search responseincluding at least one hit corresponding to the search request an adhaving a dial link, the dial link having a display portion forindicating availability of initiation of a phone call with a merchantassociated with the dial link instructions for triggering a multi-legphone call with a merchant phone number associated with the dial linkand a user phone number displaying the search response including thedisplay portion of the dial link recognizing activation of the dial linkgenerating a call trigger in accordance with the instructions in thesearch response, the call trigger for initiating a multi-leg phone callwith the user phone number and the merchant phone number.
 22. Theapparatus for telephone call initiation through an on-line search ofclaim 21 wherein the processor and the memory further comprise circuitsand software for displaying a merchant page.
 23. The apparatus fortelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 21 whereinthe dial link includes a merchant identifier.
 24. The apparatus fortelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 23 whereinthe merchant identifier comprises a database key for retrieving amerchant phone number.
 25. The apparatus for telephone call initiationthrough an on-line search of claim 21 wherein the dial link includes amerchant phone number.
 26. The apparatus for telephone call initiationthrough an on-line search of claim 21, wherein the processor and thememory further comprise circuits and software for sending a message to abilling system to charge the merchant for the user activating the diallink.
 27. The apparatus for telephone call initiation through an on-linesearch of claim 21, the processor and the memory further comprisecircuits and software for activating a browser pointing the browser to asearch system receiving the search request display in the browser. 28.The apparatus for telephone call initiation through an on-line search ofclaim 21 wherein the search response is a web page.
 29. The apparatusfor telephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 21,wherein the processor and the memory further comprise circuits andsoftware for receiving a user phone number entered or selected from oneor more previously entered phone numbers.
 30. The apparatus fortelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 21, whereinthe circuits and software for activating the dial link recognize theuser input device clicking on the dial link.
 31. Apparatus for telephonecall initiation through an on-line search comprising a user input devicea display device a processor a memory wherein the processor and thememory comprise circuits and software for receiving ad purchase data,the ad purchase data including an ad display condition, ad contentinformation, a merchant on-line address and a merchant phone numberreceiving a search request from a search requester obtaining a searchresult in response to the search request preparing a search responseincluding one or more displayable hits a displayable ad based upon thead content information, the ad further having a dial link, the dial linkhaving a display portion for indicating availability of initiation of aphone call with a merchant associated with the dial link instructionsfor triggering a multi-leg phone call with the merchant phone number anda user phone number transmitting the search response to the searchrequester.
 32. The apparatus for telephone call initiation through anon-line search of claim 31, wherein the ad display condition includes atleast one of key words, strings, concepts, URLs, portions of URLs. 33.The apparatus for telephone call initiation through an on-line search ofclaim 31 wherein the search requester comprises a user at a clientcomputer.
 34. The apparatus for telephone call initiation through anon-line search of claim 31 wherein the triggering instructions areincluded in the dial link.
 35. The apparatus for telephone callinitiation through an on-line search of claim 34 wherein the triggeringinstructions include instructions for displaying a page at the merchanton-line address.
 36. The apparatus for telephone call initiation throughan on-line search of claim 31 wherein the search response is a web page.37. The apparatus for telephone call initiation through an on-linesearch of claim 31 wherein the dial link includes a merchant identifier.38. The apparatus for telephone call initiation through an on-linesearch of claim 37 wherein the merchant identifier comprises themerchant phone number.
 39. The apparatus for telephone call initiationthrough an on-line search of claim 37 wherein the merchant identifier isassociated with the merchant phone number.
 40. The apparatus fortelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 31, whereinthe processor and the memory further comprise circuits and software forsending a message to a billing system for charging for triggering themulti-leg phone call.
 41. A computer program product for telephone callinitiation through an on-line search, the computer program productstored on a machine readable medium comprising computer software havinginstructions for causing a processor to enter a search request into asearch request display transmit the search request receive a searchresponse responsive to the search request, the search response includingat least one hit corresponding to the search request an ad having a diallink, the dial link having a display portion for indicating availabilityof initiation of a phone call with a merchant associated with the diallink instructions for triggering a multi-leg phone call with a merchantphone number associated with the dial link and a user phone numberdisplay the search response including the display portion of the diallink recognize activation of the dial link generate a call trigger inaccordance with the instructions in the search response, the calltrigger for initiating a multi-leg phone call with the user phone numberand the merchant phone number.
 42. The computer program product fortelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 41 furthercomprising computer software having instructions for causing theprocessor to display a merchant page.
 43. The computer program productfor telephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 41wherein the dial link includes a merchant identifier.
 44. The computerprogram product for telephone call initiation through an on-line searchof claim 43 wherein the merchant identifier comprises a database key forretrieving a merchant phone number.
 45. The computer program product fortelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 41 whereinthe dial link includes a merchant phone number.
 46. The computer programproduct for telephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim41, wherein the instructions for causing the processor to generate thecall trigger further comprise instructions for causing the processor tosend a message to a billing system to charge the merchant for the useractivating the dial link.
 47. The computer program product for telephonecall initiation through an on-line search of claim 41, the computersoftware having instructions for causing the processor to activate abrowser point the browser to a search system receiving the searchrequest display in the browser.
 48. The computer program product fortelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 41 whereinthe search response is a web page.
 49. The computer program product fortelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 41 furthercomprising computer software having instructions for causing theprocessor to receive a user phone number entered or selected from one ormore previously entered phone numbers.
 50. The computer program productfor telephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 41,wherein the instructions for causing the processor to activate the diallink comprise instructions for causing the processor to recognize apointing device clicking on the dial link.
 51. A computer programproduct for telephone call initiation through an on-line search, thecomputer program product stored on a machine readable medium comprisingcomputer software having instructions for causing a processor toreceiving ad purchase data, the ad purchase data including an ad displaycondition, ad content information, a merchant on-line address and amerchant phone number receiving a search request from a search requesterobtaining a search result in response to the search request preparing asearch response including one or more displayable hits a displayable adbased upon the ad content information, the ad further having a diallink, the dial link having a display portion for indicating availabilityof initiation of a phone call with a merchant associated with the diallink instructions for triggering a multi-leg phone call with themerchant phone number and a user phone number transmitting the searchresponse to the search requester.
 52. The computer program product fortelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 51, whereinthe ad display condition includes at least one of key words, strings,concepts, URLs, portions of URLs.
 53. The computer program product fortelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 51 whereinthe search requester comprises a user at a client computer.
 54. Thecomputer program product for telephone call initiation through anon-line search of claim 51 wherein the triggering instructions areincluded in the dial link.
 55. The computer program product fortelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 54 whereinthe triggering instructions include instructions for displaying a pageat the merchant on-line address.
 56. The computer program product fortelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 51 whereinthe search response is a web page.
 57. The computer program product fortelephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim 51 whereinthe dial link includes a merchant identifier.
 58. The computer programproduct for telephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim57 wherein the merchant identifier comprises the merchant phone number.59. The computer program product for telephone call initiation throughan on-line search of claim 57 wherein the merchant identifier isassociated with the merchant phone number.
 60. The computer programproduct for telephone call initiation through an on-line search of claim51 further comprising computer software having instructions for causingthe processor to send a message to a billing system for charging fortriggering the multi-leg phone call.
 61. A method of reporting theeffectiveness of an advertising campaign using a telecommunicationssystem for connecting a telephone call, the method comprisingaccumulating calling information associated with a dial link in responseto a request for a report, formulating the report based on theaccumulated calling information for the dial link formatting the reportfor electronic transmission transmitting the formatted reportelectronically to an entity associated with the advertising campaign.